


The Fire And The Thud

by havokwritesstuff



Series: My Yandere Peter AU [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Assault, Bullying, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Stalking, Violence, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22259245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havokwritesstuff/pseuds/havokwritesstuff
Summary: When Peter Parker first meets (Y/N)(L/N), he is immediately smitten, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly turns into a dark obsession.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Reader, Peter Parker/You, Yandere Peter Parker/Reader
Series: My Yandere Peter AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602322
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my Yandere Tumblr blog, yanderepeterparker

Peter Parker had expected a lot of things to happen on his very first day of middle school. Having to introduce himself in front of people, getting lost on the way to his classes, or even a teacher already giving them homework, but the very last thing he expected was that he’d meet the person of his dreams.

Ned and Peter sat next to each other in their first class, chatting excitedly about the newest Lego set that Ned had gotten, while other students were slowly making their way in, many having gotten lost. Neither boy really paid any mind to them and just continued their conversation, fawning over the toy. It started getting bit louder in the room with the influx of people, but no one else seemed to be coming to the area that they were in yet, so they didn’t realize it.

Peter noticed someone walking down their aisle out of the corner of his eye and looked up, expecting to see another nerd that no one was going to sit by unless forced to by a lack of seating, but he was wrong. The movement of the students in the classroom seemed to freeze, and their chatter quickly went silent, because all of his focus was on _you_. He could’ve sworn that you were moving in slow motion, glowing like the sun, radiating a pleasant warmth that seeped into his bones.

You came closer, and he had the thought that maybe you were coming to talk to him, but he quickly dismissed it. Someone as angelic, as magnetic, as you wanting to talk to him? The dorky, scrawny kid with what were probably the thickest glasses they could make, who was just very clearly gushing with his friend about a Lego AT-AT? No way.

As you walked past him, he turned, letting his gaze follow you as you sat down at the very last desk, right behind Ned. Once you pulled out your supplies, you glanced up to meet the timid smile that Peter was giving you. You kept your eyes on him for a moment before frowning slightly and looking down at your desk, grabbing your book and turning your attention towards it.

An ache spread in his chest as you brushed him off, like you had hit him in it with all of your strength and knocked the breath from his lungs. _Did you not like him? What did he do wrong?_ Apparently, he’d already scared you off before he even had a chance to get to know you, and let you know him. Ned’s hand waving in front of his face snapped him out of his sadness before it could manifest on the outside. “You okay, Peter?”

Peter cleared his throat, trying not to think about what had just happened with you and how disappointed he was. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

That was when the Mr Conway asked for silence and told them that he wanted to start by having everyone introduce themselves, the usual when starting a new school year. If Peter hadn’t been dreading it before, he really was now that you were in the room, because he just knew he was going to screw it up and make himself look like an idiot in front of the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his 12 years.

Peter tapped his fingers on the wood in a quick rhythm as he watched the students stand up one by one to say their name and something about themselves. It felt like he waited forever for it to come around to him, his breathing becoming far more difficult than it should’ve been, and he could hear his heart beating like a drum.

Finally, it was his turn, and he stood up on shaky legs and scanned the room, finding everyone’s eyes burning into him. “My…uh…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “My n-name’s Peter….Peter Parker.” _And something about me. What should I say? **What should I say?**_ He blurted out the first thing that came to mind.“Star Wars! I like….Star Wars.”

When some of the other kids started to snicker, Peter knew he’d messed up, and that he’d definitely be teased until he left for high school. He glanced back at you, hoping you weren’t laughing at him too, but you just sat there with your nose in your book. Ned gave him a sympathetic look as he sat back in the hard plastic chair and slid down in it to avoid everyone’s eyes.

Soon, it came around to you and Peter turned in his seat, eager to hear you speak, because he needed to know if your voice was as stunning as you were. You stood up and stared down at the floor tile between your dirty converse, fiddling with the zipper of your maroon jacket. Peter smiled as he realized that you didn’t dislike him, as he’d thought from your previous interaction, you were clearly just _shy_.

“(Y/N)(L/N)….I like to read.” Immediately, you sat back down and picked the book up again, hiding your face from anyone who might still be looking. Your voice was the sweetest sound, and giddiness overtook him as he remembered the fact that he would get to hear it every day. As the introductions went on, Peter had to resist the urge to look back at you.

_(Y/N)…,_ he thought, _A beautiful name for a beautiful girl._

—-

Peter landed on the concrete with a smack, his glasses flying from his face and clattering to the ground. Without really thinking about it, he’d stretched an arm out to catch himself, but he fell right onto his hand and heard a cracking sound. He reached his other hand out blindly in an attempt to find his glasses, and just as the tips of his fingers brushed the metal, a blurry foot kicked them away.

Laughter came from above him in all directions, thundering and cruel, but one specific voice taunted him. It was Roger, who’d come to like messing around with Peter in the two or so weeks since school started because he was much smaller and didn’t have a posse behind him. “Little Puny Parker can’t even take a push!”

The boy kicked him in the side, right in the ribs, and Peter curled up into a ball, his eyes watering from the blow and the pain radiating from his wrist. As Roger landed a second hit right in his kidney, Ned, who was supposed to be meeting him there so they could walk to their next class, yelled from the side, “Peter!”

Peter frantically waved him away with his good hand, not wanting Ned to get hurt, because that had already happened before. “Just go, Ned! Run!” A sob escaped from his throat as the other boy kicked him for the third time, and he hoped his friend would come back with a teacher sooner rather than later, because he wouldn’t even be able to stop a kid his size, let alone someone bigger like Roger.

He was finally able to sit up, though it was a struggle, and his hand came up to wipe away a tear that had escaped, making the laughter get even louder. “Are you really crying?! What a pussy!” Roger’s words rattled around in Peter’s head, which made it even harder to try and keep more tears from coming, but a voice suddenly distracted him.

“HEY!”

Someone came to stand in front of him, but Peter couldn’t see who it was, just a dark, foggy pair of legs, but he was suddenly very grateful for them. “Leave him alone.” Wait, he knew that voice….

A blob, who he assumed to be Roger from the size and color, doubled over, letting out a hysterical laugh to match. “She finally talks just to help a little bitch lik-”

A loud, sickening crack met Peter’s ears, and the blob that was Roger fell to the ground with a thud. “I _said_ leave him alone!”

Roger spoke after a moment and it almost sounded like _he_ was on the verge of crying, his voice shaking as he spat, “Let’s get outta here before Leeds brings a teacher!”

The crowd of shapes quickly dispersed just before the bell rang, leaving only Peter and the one that defended him. The form left for a second, which made him panic, until they came back to kneel in front of him and press his glasses into his palm, their hand warm against his. “Here.”

Peter put them on as best as he could with one hand and was met with your perfect, concerned face, framed by the sunlight. In spite of the pain he was feeling when he breathed, a million butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he beamed at you. “(Y/N)?”

“Are you okay?” You asked, your voice calm, soothing.

“I…I think so.” He looked down at his throbbing wrist, and with his glasses on, he finally realized just how bad it looked, the skin turning purple and already swelling. “But my wrist… ”

Peter watched as you carefully picked up his wrist and examined it. Your movements of his hand, though measured and soft, still caused twinges of pain to shoot up his arm. He ignored that as best as he could and focused on the electric feeling of your fingers on his skin, not wanting it to stop. “It’s broken.”

“How do you-?”

He was cut off by Mr Kirby jogging up along side Ned, who doubled over once they stopped so he could catch his breath. “Peter? (Y/N)? What happened? Ned just said it was important.”

You gingerly set Peter’s hand down on his leg, to his disappointment, and stood up to face Mr Kirby. “Roger Lewis pushed Peter down and started kicking him, but I got him to leave.”

Mr Kirby helped Peter stand, minding his injury, and glanced over at you with a raised eyebrow. “Does that have anything to do with the blood on your knuckles?”

You shrugged nonchalantly, but Peter started to feel sick when he looked down and finally saw the growing bruises and the blood, which he hoped was Roger’s and not yours. You hurt yourself because of him. _Why? Why would you do that?_

“I’m going to need you to come down to Principal Ditko’s office with me so we can call up Roger and get this sorted out.” Mr Kirby led all three of you through the grass in the direction of the main building, staying closer to Peter just to be safe.

“His wrist is broken,” you pointed out, keeping behind the others, just barely in Peter’s peripheral.

“And that’s why he’s going to the nurse instead. We’ll get you taken care of, Peter.”

“Thanks, Mr Kirby,” Peter replied before looking back at you with a small smile. _Thank you_ , he mouthed. You gave him a short nod as you shoved your hands into your pockets and kept walking.

Peter turned around and a deep blush spread over his face. You’d stepped in and helped him when you could’ve just ignored it and went to class. Sure, he didn’t like that you’d put yourself in danger for him, but it meant that you liked him at least a little bit _,_ _right_?

—-

Peter had already been enamored by you ever since your first meeting, but after the Roger incident, it got even worse. He knew before that you were beautiful and intelligent, but the way you stood up for him showed him a whole other side of you. Soon, he began to watch you even closer than he had been, to the point where even Ned, who was not the most observant person in the world, noticed his staring.

All day, you stayed around the edge of everything, keeping your chosen book in your face, and if anyone but a teacher tried to talk to you, you were reluctant to answer. You just kept to yourself most of the time, and Peter didn’t really mind that, though he wasn’t sure why. But the one thing that had really been bothering him was how sad your eyes were. No one so amazing should feel like that.

He decided that you needed to know how wonderful he thought you were, so he made a plan to write you an anonymous note and slip it into your locker. He didn’t know how to put everything into words, let alone make it sound good, so he settled on something short and simple.

_**Y/N,** _

_**You’re brave, kind, smart, and as beautiful as an angel.** _ _**I hope that you can see that, too.** _

_**~♡** _

Peter made sure he was the first out of class, one where he didn’t have to wait for Ned, and ran down the hall to quickly put the note into your locker through one of the slots. His chest heaved from the running as he waited around a corner while students began to fill the space.

He peeked around with a smile when you finally went up to open your locker with your hand that wasn’t occupied with holding a book. The folded piece of paper fell down to the floor and you bent down to pick it up, your brow furrowed. As you read the letter, your confused expression disappeared and your eyes began to water.

Peter started to grin, thinking that it had worked and your tears were happy ones, until you frowned and crumpled the paper up in your fist. A horrible feeling filled his chest as he watched you take the note and throw it away in the closest trashcan. You sniffled and wiped away your tears while you took out what you needed. Peter stayed there until you slammed your locker and stalked away, then finally left to meet Ned, hanging his head. _Why did you throw it away? Did you not believe it?_

Maybe he needed to keep giving you notes until you _did_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is freshman year, like right before he got his powers and lost Ben. The movies don’t say where Midtown is, but in the comics it’s right where Peter lives in Forest Hills, so that’s what I went with.

Peter shook his leg under his desk as he watched the clock, counting down the seconds until 2:45. Mr Harrington was at the front of the room going on about something that he and most of the other students had already tuned out. There were still two minutes until the end of the day, but he just needed the bell to ring _fast_.

He’d told Ned earlier that he was going to be busy with May and Ben, and vice versa, just like he always did on days like this. He tried not to spend every single day with you, no matter how much he wanted to. The three of them would notice something was up if he wasn’t around often enough, so he compromised and only did it a few days a week. Thankfully, it was one of those days. The bell finally rang and Peter packed up his things at lightning speed. “Bye, Ned! See you tomorrow!”

Ned replied as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, having long ago gotten used to his friend rushing out of their last class. “Bye, Peter!”

Peter sprinted out of the room, and Mr Harrington asked him to slow down, which he did, only to a jog though, just so he wouldn’t draw attention with his excitement. He finally stopped a few doors down from Mr Cobbwell’s class and panted from the effort as he waited for you.

Finally, you walked out of the classroom with your latest novel hugged to your chest and Peter beamed upon seeing you, that funny feeling in his stomach like always. He trailed behind, just far enough that you or anyone else wouldn’t notice, knowing that if he got caught, no one would understand why he was following you.

He’d only been able to do it the last few months, since he finished middle school and started attending Midtown. Going to high school at Midtown was something he’d almost dreaded because there was a possibility that you might not go there, and instead choose to go to the school that most of your classmates were going to. Imagine his surprise when he saw you in Coach Wilson’s class on the first day, still staying in the corner like you always did.

Once off campus, you walked down the street, subtly nodding your head to the beat of your music. Peter wondered what song it was and thought about how much he’d like to be listening to it with you. What he wanted even more than that though was to be walking next to you with your hand in his, smiling and talking about your day. He had to settle for staying at a distance, but he at least still got to see you.

A few minutes later, you ducked into a little convenience store, the same one you stopped at every day, and Peter walked in as well. He didn’t always go in, just so the owner, Mr Lee, wouldn’t catch on, but he decided to on that particular day. Peter went into a different aisle and pretended to be browsing candy as you grabbed your favorite drink and snack. He ended up picking a bar so Mr Lee wouldn’t think he was stealing anything.

You went up to the counter and gave the man a smile like always, but it was the same one that never quite reached your eyes. While he listened in, Peter wished he could see you _really_ smile, just for him. “Hi, Mr Lee. How are you?” you greeted as you set your things down.

“Afternoon, (Y/N)! I’m doing pretty well today, actually. How was school?” The man grinned and scanned your stuff before bagging it up.

You shrugged, handing your cash over to him, “You know, the usual. The classes are cool, but dealing with all the other teenagers and their gossip? Not so much.”

Mr Lee laughed. “Well, I hate to tell you this, but it’s only gonna get worse.”

With a smirk, you took your change back from him and pocketed it. “Thanks, that’s comforting.” Since there was no one else behind you, you took your backpack off for a second to put your purchases inside. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr Lee.”

“See ya, kiddo! Be safe!”

Peter quickly came up to buy his candy bar and headed out about 30 seconds after you did. A little part of him felt slightly jealous of Mr Lee, even though he was old enough to be your great-grandfather. It was only because you’d probably said more words to him in those few minutes than you’d said to Peter in nearly four years, not because he was any real competition.

When Peter got out of the store, you were already quite a distance in front of him, but he was still easily able to follow you. To him, you always stood out in a crowd. You kept a leisurely pace like you did every day, and Peter acted like he was using his phone just in case you happened to look back.

You led him to MacDonald Park, which you visited on every nice day. On rainy or cold days, you and Peter would spend the afternoon in the library, and weekends were spent at one of those places or, occasionally, the arcade. Peter never really questioned why you didn’t stay at home very often. Maybe your parents worked a lot, or you just liked people watching. He didn’t mind it all that much because that made it easier to be around you.

You sat down at an empty chess table and put your backpack beside you on the seat. Peter took a bench far enough away for you not to notice, but it really helped that you weren’t the only two in the park either. He watched as you pulled out a few textbooks and notebooks and started to do your homework, still bobbing your head to the beat of a song. The face you made while concentrating was so unbelievably cute that it made him smile.

The wind picked up a bit and you had to place your pencil case on the textbook to keep the pages from blowing. It tossed your hair around a bit and Peter sighed happily as he asked himself how someone so perfect, so beautiful, could possibly be in his life. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world, or he would once you were finally in his arms, and that day couldn’t come soon enough.

Peter took out his phone and discreetly snapped a few pictures pictures of you as you scribbled down some notes. They didn’t really do justice to how radiant you were, but they helped soothe his aching heart when he wasn’t with you. While he had his phone out, he sent Ned and May each a quick text, Ned’s to answer a question, and May’s to let her know when he would be home. He looked back up at you just as you tucked a piece of hair back behind your ear and his heart threatened to beat out of his chest at the sight.

Eventually, once the sun began to get lower in the sky, you packed up your things to leave. Peter mourned the fact that his time with you was coming to an end for the day, but he stood up not long after you did and followed behind as you walked home.

Peter was on edge as you made your way down the darkening street, looking around as you did. He didn’t like you walking around at sunset, especially with how casually you moved, but it was much better than doing it in complete darkness. That, he wouldn’t be able to handle.

Being too focused on his thoughts of you, Peter didn’t realize that he’d gotten a little too close, not until you paused right in your tracks and went to turn around. Peter’s heart practically stopped as he ducked to hide behind the side of the building that he was passing. He squeezed his eyes shut and leaned his head back against the bricks.

 _“Please, please, please,”_ he whispered. Everything in him hoped that you hadn’t seen him and that you weren’t planning to double back and check. He didn’t want to risk peeking and if he tried to use his phone camera, you might see it. Losing you wasn’t a huge deal since he knew the way you took to your house, so he took a deep breath and waited a little over a minute before he poked his head out. You were gone, so he stepped back onto the street and caught up to you pretty quickly, making sure to keep his distance this time.

Peter frowned when he saw your apartment building up ahead, knowing that he didn’t have much more time. He hid out of sight as you stood in front of your building for several moments, looking up and sighing heavily before you walked inside. His chest tightened as soon as you disappeared through the door, knowing he’d have to wait until morning to see you again.

He glanced at the fire escapes lining the side of your building, but quickly shook his head. It was something he’d always wanted to do, just to check on you and make sure you were doing okay, but logic held him back. You could see him and it would ruin _everything_ , so instead he walked home with slumped shoulders as he thought of how much he missed you already.

A few minutes later, Peter unlocked his apartment door and walked inside. He was met by the smell of some sort of tomato sauce, which he hoped was made by Ben and not May, because then it would actually be edible. “Hey, Pete!” Ben called from the kitchen.

Peter entered and saw him standing by the stove, with May nearby. “Hi, Ben. Hi, May.” He nodded at them with a smile.

“How was your day?” May asked while she started to set the table.

“It was good. Ned and I got a decent amount of the Millennium Falcon built.” What he’d really wanted to say was, _‘Amazing. I spent it with the love of my life’_. Instead, he’d went with his cover.

“Hey, I’m gonna go put my backpack in my room. I’ll be right back.” Peter left before May could say anything and went into his room, then shrugged his backpack off and put it in it’s usual place next to his bed. He pulled out his phone and beamed while he flipped through the pictures he’d taken of you earlier in the day. They helped him feel a little better, and he slipped his phone back in his pocket as he went to join Ben and May for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after Homecoming

It had been a very long day of school and patrol for Peter and he found himself relieved that it was finally, _mercifully_ over. His shoulders ached from all of the web swinging and wall crawling, and the thought of working on the assignment for Mrs Warren’s class already had him exhausted. Anyone else would want to go straight home to eat, shower, and sleep, but not Peter, because he had another way to ease the stress of his day. That was exactly why he crouched out on the railing of your fire escape, invisible from your room, even in the faint street lights.

He’d followed you home like usual, making sure you got there okay after your late stay at the library with MJ, but as you went in the door, instead of leaving like he used to, Peter made his way up the fire escape and waited for you at your window. Ever since he’d been bitten by the spider, being with you became so much easier. Gone was the skinny, clumsy nerd that he used to be, because the spider made him incredibly strong and agile, enough that he could trail you without possibly being spotted. It definitely hadn’t removed the nerdiness though.

When you finally opened your bedroom door and entered, Peter grinned under his mask and watched as you took your backpack off to set it down with a heavy sigh. You hooked your phone up to some speakers and played your musicquietly, swaying your hips a little bit to the music as you walked over to the bed. Without even taking your shoes off, you flopped down on the unmade mess of blankets, sheets, and pillows, and laid there with your hands behind your head, staring at the popcorn ceiling.

Peter always wondered what you were thinking about, but even more so in quiet moments like this, when it was just you and him. He wanted to know every thought in your head, every opinion, every memory, no matter how ridiculous or inconsequential they might have seemed. Sometimes he wished he had mind powers like Wanda Maximoff just so he could be connected straight to your brain and know _everything_.

You stayed that way a while, letting your eyes close eventually, and Peter took a picture of you, loving how you looked a little more relaxed than usual. He imagined himself there with you in your tiny bed, pressed together due to the lack of space, holding you tightly to him and never letting go. Feeling your heart beating and your chest moving with every breath, reassuring him that you were there with him, alive and well. He just wanted to be able to comfort you if you needed, and be comforted in return by your warm embrace, especially after a day like he’d had.

After a while, you sat up and ran a hand through your hair. While you kicked off your shoes, you shrugged your jacket off and threw it onto the desk chair. Peter shifted his position, and you stood up and shed your shirt, tossing it at the basket in the corner. He nearly fell from his perch at the sight as he quickly fumbled for his phone. Peter’s thoughts completely froze, because there you were, shirtless, right in front of him. He hadn’t been able to catch you changing until then, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let the opportunity go to waste, so once he got a good grip on his phone, he started snapping pictures.

Unfortunately, your back was to him, but you turned around a moment later and unclasped your bra. Peter’s heart hammered in his chest as you slipped the straps from your shoulders and took it off. He could already feel his suit get a bit tighter as he watched because you were perfect, absolutely fucking perfect. All Peter wanted was to touch your soft skin and feel the warmth of it against him. He ached to kiss every inch and lay claim to you, body, heart, and soul.

Peter’s hands shook as he kept taking pictures, and he really hoped that it wouldn’t ruin them, but then you kicked your jeans and underwear off, leaving you completely naked and exposed to him. He took a deep breath to calm himself, to try and pretend that he wasn’t enjoying the view of a lifetime. When you grabbed a towel and stepped into your connected bathroom, he suddenly became sad that it was over.

A few moments later, the faint sound of your shower turning on gave him an idea, and he moved closer to the window and slid it open. Concern for the fact that you didn’t lock your window was momentarily overshadowed by the joy he felt once he realized that he could finally go in your room.

He slipped in to crawl up the wall and across the ceiling, ever so slowly. Once he got to the middle of the room, he carefully dropped himself down, not wanting to make any noise. He glanced around, but he was unsure of where to start first, since he figured you’d take at least 10 or 15 minutes to shower. It wasn’t enough time, but he’d make do.

Peter started at your slightly cluttered desk, which was near the window. On it sat your school issued laptop, with a stack of papers and textbooks on one side, and a collection of various art supplies on the other. He’d seen you doodle in class before, and you were good, but he had no idea you did full on art because you didn’t have that class together. He poked around in a few of your sketchbooks, finding various drawings and paintings. There were a few that he decided to take pictures of, just so he could admire your skill whenever he wanted.

Your bookshelf was near the desk, so he moved on to that. It was stacked full of novels, old and new. Many of them he’d seen you read at school, and he wondered how many times you’d read through the whole collection. He gently traced his fingers over the worn spines, committing all of the titles to memory.

Eventually, he made his way over to your dresser. He opened the top drawer to find your socks and underwear, making him blush. There were so many different colors and patterns of underwear that he couldn’t choose, but he knew that he needed to have a pair. He ran a hand over the fabrics as he considered it, even though he was unable to feel it through his gloves. He settled on a blue pair, his favorite color, and found a place in his suit to store them.

Near the dresser sat the laundry basket, and Peter was once again overcome with the need to take something. The stuff in the dresser was great of course, because it was yours, but the idea of having something that you’d worn and hadn’t washed yet, something that still smelled like you, was irresistible. So he snatched the ones that you’d just stripped off straight from the basket to go with the other pair.

Peter lifted his mask up over his nose and put the fabric up to his face, taking a deep breath. The scent made him more aware of the bulge that had grown in his suit as he watched you undress. How he wished he could have the real thing, but this was good for now, so he stored that pair with the first and thought about what to inspect next.

His eyes landed on your bed, and he went to lay down on it. Since it was already unmade, he assumed that you wouldn’t notice if it looked different, so he wrapped himself up in the covers. The blankets were soft against the exposed skin on the lower half of his face and he pressed his nose into them, taking in the scent of lavender and fresh linens. The new sensations and smells sent Peter into a frenzy, all thoughts leaving his head. He was completely surrounded by you and it felt like heaven.

Peter’s hips started to move involuntarily against your mattress, but he reluctantly stopped himself. It was too risky. He knew that he would get too carried away and you could possibly hear him or even catch him in the act. Begrudgingly, he sat up, removing himself from that lovely feeling of being in your bed. He looked around for where to check next, and his eyes landed on your phone, which was sitting on your bedside table. The fact that he hadn’t noticed it surprised him until he remembered where his mind had been.

Peter quickly picked up the phone and tried to unlock it, but there was a code on it. For anyone else, he would’ve tried something ridiculously simple like their birthday, but he knew you were too smart to do that, especially being friends with a paranoid person like MJ. He stared at it for a minute, trying to decide what to do, until he remembered a certain AI that lived in his suit. “Hey, Karen?”

_Yes, Peter?_

“Are you able to connect to this phone?” Just like that, the phone’s screen turned black with a simple red Spider-Man symbol, while a bunch of code flashed over his heads up display. A few seconds later, the phone unlocked, leaving everything open for him to explore. He had never been more thankful for Karen, and the fact that Mr Stark supported his love of you enough to overlook things like this, which he would when he eventually found out. Peter knew that from experience.

_Connection complete. You’ll be able to access all information on this device remotely._

Peter’s eyes widened when Karen’s words settled in. He’d expected to only get your actual phone unlocked to search through it, not to have total access at his fingertips. He locked the phone back up and carefully set it down in the exact spot you’d left it. “Karen, show….text message history, please?”

After a very short wait, your messenger screen came up on his heads up display. There was only one conversation, MJ, which made Peter smile. Now he didn’t have to worry that you were secretly seeing someone when he was out on patrol. He had Karen show the conversation and he searched through to see if you’d talked about him, even looking for ‘dorks’ and other things that MJ tended to call him and Ned. He found nothing but jokes, memes, and book discussions, to Peter’s disappointment, though he noted that you had a great taste in memes.

“Can you pull up the photo gal-?”

The sound of the shower turning off interrupted him, and Peter yanked his mask back down and quickly climbed out of the window, closing it behind him. Right after, the bathroom door opened, letting out steam as it did. You stepped out, skin and hair still damp as you kept the towel wrapped tight around you. Peter went back to his spot and observed you, trying to calm himself after the mad scramble to not get caught.

You walked over to the dresser to pick out a pair of pajamas and threw them on the bed. To Peter’s disappointment, you dried off and put on the over-sized long sleeve shirt and flannel pants, hiding your form once again. He missed seeing you already, but you looked so adorable and comfortable in your pajamas that he suddenly didn’t mind.

Peter decided to stay until you went to bed, just to make sure that you fell asleep soundly like you deserved. He smiled softly while you turned off the overhead light, leaving only the bedside lamp on, and crawled into your bed. You snuggled into your covers, the very same ones that, unknown you, Peter had been tangled up in not even 10 minutes before, and grabbed your book from the bedside table. 

He let out a content sigh as you opened the book and started reading, just as you did at school, getting lost in the story. For so long, he’d wondered why you always seemed to have a book attached to your hand. Was it purely educational, or was it an escape from reality? If so, what were you trying to escape from?

A little later, you closed the book and set it back on the bedside table with a yawn. Peter felt a little pang of sadness at the fact that he couldn’t watch you read anymore, but your cute little yawn made his heart skip a beat at the same time. You turned the light off and burrowed into the soft blanket.

Peter wanted so badly to go back into your room and sleep there with you. To wake up to your sweet kisses and your angelic glow in the morning sun. Unfortunately, he started every day alone and cold, his alarm clock never failing to rip him away from his pleasant dreams of you. Instead of staying and making those dreams come true, he jumped from the fire escape and made his way home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this AU, Tony didn’t die, he just got really fucked up, Peter still has Karen, and the mid credits scene is being ignored.

Eight months.

Eight months since Bruce Banner snapped every person that Thanos had murdered five years before back into existence. Eight months since Tony Stark destroyed Thanos’ army and became comatose due to the power of the Infinity Stones. Eight months since Peter Parker had gotten a decent night’s sleep.

Everyone that had been left behind in The Blip carried on with their lives for five years, but for the people that disappeared, it felt like no time had passed at all. That meant that, for Peter, the memory of what happened on Titan was still so raw. When he closed his eyes at night, his mind went right to that day when he’d slowly crumbled to dust in Mr Stark’s arms, light years away from home. He could still feel that sense of dread that washed over him, even before the others started to disappear, and the horror as he watched his own body turn to nothing.

The only thing that kept him sane anymore was you. Seeing you at school, following you home, looking at your pictures, and watching you sleep soundly when he couldn’t do that himself. Whenever he caught you smiling while talking to MJ, it made him forget, for a moment, the guilt he carried for not stopping Thanos on Titan, and for not saving Mr Stark from ending up near death. Even with you there, he really needed a break, something to get him away from the hero stuff, from Spider-Man, just for a little while. That was why he’d been so eager to go on the class trip to Europe, a trip that you would also be going on.

Peter made a plan to confess his feelings for you during the trip, because as he faded away on Titan, his last thought was of you and how he regretted not taking the leap, so he decided not to wait any longer. First, he would sit next to you on the plane and watch movies with you, ones that he knew you loved. Then, in Venice, he would buy a custom necklace, a spider web, because he knew that you were a fan of Spider-Man, and it was a way of marking you with a symbol that belonged to him. Finally, he’d give it to you in Paris, at the top of the Eiffel Tower, where he’d tell you exactly how much you meant to him, and kiss you, just like he’d wanted to for years.

It was foolproof, or so he thought, until the time actually came, because instead of sitting by you on the plane, he ended up by Ned, and you were with MJ. Yes, Ned was his best friend, but the fact that the plan had already started going sideways made him anxious. That wasn’t helped by the fact that when Ned tried to help by claiming Peter had a perfume allergy, Mr Harrington moved _everyone’s_ seats, putting you next to Brad Davis. Peter fumed in his seat by Mr Harrington as he watched you enjoy a movie with the other boy. It should’ve been _him_ that got to spend this time with you, not some asshole that could never love you like he did.

The rest of the plan went just as well, because his efforts were ruined by Fury, the Elementals, and even Brad. All Peter wanted to do was be with you, and the world wouldn’t let him have that, no matter how hard he tried, so he was steadily losing the hope of getting to give you the perfect kiss that you deserved.

—-

_Relief_

That was the only emotion that filled Peter as he pulled Happy into a hug, needing to feel something real, something tangible. The man’s eyes scanned over him, and Peter was certain that he looked awful. After all, he’d been mentally tortured by someone that he trusted, then hit head on by a train. Anyone would be a wreck after that.

Happy carefully led him out of the field of flowers and into the jet, letting Peter finally feel a sense of safety since his encounter with Beck in Germany. Peter told Happy everything as he took care of his injuries. He explained about Fury hijacking his vacation, how Beck turned out to be behind the Elementals the whole time, and, to his shame, that he had handed EDITH over to the man without a second thought.

The two of them sat, Happy right behind Peter as he stitched up a gash on his back. Peter inhaled sharply and jerked away from the needle. “Don’t you have super strength?”

“It still hurts…” Peter replied, his quiet voice strained and tired. Usually, when he was exhausted and in pain, he would think of you, and it would provide him instant comfort, but that day was different. As a matter of fact, thinking of you was only making him feel worse. Any other time, letting his mind drift towards you would conjure up images of your beautiful smile, and the angelic sound of your voice, but at that moment, all he could see was what Beck had forced him to in that building.

_Peter and Beck were at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and the man held you by your throat, dangling you over the edge. Your hands clawed at his wrist gauntlet, and you kicked your legs as your frantic eyes locked on Peter’s. Something gripped at his heart, squeezing at it and making him feel ill. He couldn’t lose you, **not you**. Beck let you go, and you screamed. “PETER!”_

_“(Y/N)!” Peter bolted forward and jumped off the edge after you. You were falling fast, giving him only seconds to act, so he shot one web up at the building and one towards you, but the latter just barely missed. He didn’t catch you, and the last he saw of you was your terrified face as you reached out to him, falling into the fog and to your death. “NO!”_

_“You’ll fail her. Just like you did Stark and your uncle. Just like you’ll fail your friends.”_

That voice echoed in Peter’s head as Happy gave him a pep talk, assuring him that Tony wouldn’t have taken the risk he did without knowing that Peter would be there to carry on. Peter knew that Happy was right, but Beck’s words made it extremely difficult to get out of his own head. He’d managed though, knowing that he needed to stop Beck and save his friends. Save _you_.

Some time later, Peter stood over the tube that held his new suit, watching the finishing touches be put on, as Happy made his way over from the pilot’s seat. “You ready for this, kid?”

“Yeah, I think so.” The corner of Peter’s mouth twitched up into a smile, a little more confident since finishing the suit, but it faltered as he looked down at the little box in his hand. He flipped it open to look at the necklace, one that he might never get to see you wear. There was a possibility that he wouldn’t survive fighting Beck, and he wanted you to know how he felt, so he closed the box and looked up at Happy. “Hey, Happy? Can you give this to (Y/N)? If I don’t make it?”

Happy took the box from Peter as he held it out and smiled reassuringly. “I’ll hold onto it for you so you can give it to her yourself.”

Peter nodded at him before looking back down to the suit. “Okay, let’s do this.”

—-

Peter perched on the bar of your fire escape, looking into your window by the light from the moon. You were sound asleep, and the sight made his heart soar, especially after what happened in Europe. Despite the odds being against him, Peter managed to defeat Beck and save you and his friends from certain death. Even though EDITH confirmed that Beck was dead, part of him still questioned it, especially after seeing what the man could do with his illusion tech. But right then, everyone that mattered to him was alive and well.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t get the image of you dying out of his head. The image of you dying because of _**him**_. He followed you, tracked your phone, and watched you sleep, just like usual, but that horrible feeling still remained. If anything happened to you, especially if it was his fault, Peter knew that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

That was why he still held the little box in his hand, occasionally looking at the silver necklace inside. His heart wanted him to go through with his plan and tell you his feelings, but his brain said otherwise. If he got too close to you, if your relationship was common knowledge, you would be in even more danger. Maybe it was best just to watch you from a distance like he had been for so long. You would be safer that way.

Tears welled in his eyes, getting trapped under the mask, and he sniffled. He just wished things didn’t have to be that way, that the two of you could have a happy life together, but it was the best way to protect you. Peter appreciated your sleeping form for another moment before jumping from the fire escape and heading home.

Once he got back to his room, he immediately took off his suit and changed into some pajamas. As he brushed his teeth, he caught his reflection and noticed how red and puffy his eyes had gotten from crying. He was definitely glad that May was asleep, because he didn’t want to have to explain things to her or come up with a lie. With slumped shoulders, he laid down on his bed with his phone and grabbed his earbuds from the nightstand.

“Karen?,” he whispered as he put them in his ears.

_What can I do for you, Peter?_

“Can you please shuffle (Y/N)’s music and play it for me?” He rested one hand behind his head and the one holding his phone on his stomach.

_Accessing her music library now_

“Thanks.” As Karen queued up the music, Peter turned his head and glanced over at the box that sat on the nightstand for a moment before looking away. He smiled a bit as the music reached his ears and he imagined you listening it while studying. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and enjoyed that image as he drifted off to sleep, hoping that sweet dreams of you might replace the nightmares that had been plaguing him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like the very end of junior year.

_Everything moved in slow motion as you fell, with Peter watching from the roof of the building, reaching out to you. He had to save you, because if he couldn’t, he had no idea what he would do. You got too far away to grab, so he shot out a web to catch you and hoped with everything he had that it would connect._

_The web wrapped around your calf, and you stopped in the air with a rough jerk. Peter heard a faint crack, and his heart ached, feeling so guilty that he’d broken one of your bones, but you were alive and that was the most important thing. He pulled you up to him, not quite registering how limp your body was._

_He brought you up all the way and cradled you in his arms, before taking his mask off. A smile stretched across his face as he realized that he’d saved you. “I’ve got you. You’re okay.” That was when he’d noticed your closed eyes and the unnatural way your head lolled._

_“(Y/N)?” His hand began to shake as he gently stroked your cheek, that smile starting to fade from his face and turn to something more concerned. “(Y/N), wake up.”_

_Nothing._

_“(Y/N), open your eyes!” His hand went to your shoulder to shake you slightly, and that was when it hit him. Your chest wasn’t moving like it should’ve been. You weren’t breathing. “No, no, no.“_ _Peter broke down and violent sobs escaped from his throat, tears dropping down onto your cooling skin. “Wake up, please wake up.”_

_Karen’s voice echoed from the device in his ear, sounding a million miles away. ‘Peter, her neck is broken. She won’t-’_

_“NO!” He hugged you closer and buried his face into your neck, crying so hard that his throat went raw and his chest ached, but he didn’t care. “I can’t do this without you.”_

_No more sparkling eyes, beautiful smile, and musical laugh. No more sunshine and blue skies. Peter was left alone in a numb, frigid darkness, and it was all his fault. He’d killed you._ _The edge of the roof beckoned him, and he just wanted to step off and join you, because he couldn’t live in a world without you in it. A familiar voice broke through the gloom, distracting him from that thought._

_“Peter. Peter, wake up.”_

Peter shot up in his bed, chest heaving and face drenched in a mixture of sweat and tears. Someone sat next to him on the edge of the bed and, even with the light from the lamp, it took him a few moments to realize that it was May. He hadn’t even noticed the hand she had on his shoulder until she squeezed it gently in an attempt to comfort him. The sight of him so pale and trembling with fear almost brought her to tears. It wasn’t the first time she’d witnessed it, and they both knew it wouldn’t be the last. “Shh, it’s okay. You’re awake now, you’re safe. Just try to breathe.”

Peter took in a shaky breath and closed his eyes, trying to force that horrible feeling that the dream had brought him from his mind. Guilt began to weigh on him from disturbing May yet again. “I’m sorry for waking you up.” He cringed at the gravelly sound of his voice, but that was to be expected after screaming and crying in his sleep.

May shook her head and placed her hand on top of the one that rested at his side. “It’s alright, Peter. Was it the same one?”

Peter squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed before giving a single nod. He never told May what it was that always woke him up so violently, but she never pushed him to share, only helped him calm down a little until he could see you, and he was grateful for that. “I’m gonna go do some swinging. Clear my head.”

May had a look of worry on her face, but she knew that it helped him feel better to go out, though she didn’t know the real reason _why_ it worked. She stood up from the bed and kissed him on the top of the head as she gave his shoulder a final squeeze. “I’m going back to bed for a little while. Call me if you need me.”

“Okay.” Peter watched her shut the door behind her, and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. He needed to see you, to make sure you were alive and well, so he got up to slip on his suit and leave.

—-

When Peter went to his usual place at your window to watch you, he found your bed empty, which concerned him because it was 4:30 in the morning. You should’ve been getting your rest for school, as hypocritical as that was coming from him, since he was up visiting you even later than he usually did. A part of him started to panic, thinking the worst, until he remembered Karen’s connection to your phone. “Karen, can you give me a location on (Y/N) please?” Your icon showed up on his screen, indicating the apartment building, and he frowned. You weren’t in your room and he’d been there long enough to know that you weren’t in the bathroom. Where could you be?

He glanced at the clear night sky for a moment, then up to the roof of your building. It wouldn’t hurt to check, so he crawled his way up the wall until he saw legs hanging off of the edge of the roof. He decided he was going to keep a distance, but when he heard you crying softly, that changed quickly without him even thinking of any consequences. He made his way around the side of the building before climbing up over the edge so it would seem like he just happened to come across you while swinging around.

Once he got a few feet away, he cleared his throat, making you jump before you turned back to him. “Spider-Man?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s me….Mind if I sit?” Peter was practically vibrating from actually talking to you, and he hoped that you wouldn’t notice.

“I guess not, but you might want to find another roof to hang out on.” You turned your head back up towards the sky. Any other time, he would’ve expected you to be a little more excited because you liked Spider-Man, but you clearly had something else on your mind.

“Why’s that?” When he sat next to you, his question was answered. Since he was closer, he could clearly see your face, where you had a bandage on your nose and a dark bruise over your eye. He also caught a glimpse of finger shaped bruises on your neck, and the combination of all these things made him feel devastated and furious all at once. “W-What happened to you?”

You frowned, and he assumed you were considering what to tell him. “My dad had a little too much to drink tonight and when he got back from the bar, he wanted to take everything out on me like usual.” With a sniffle, you wiped away your tears with the sleeve of your hoodie. “But it’s nothing that makeup can’t cover up.”

“Your father did this? Why? I don’t understand.” Peter noticed how you said ‘like usual’ and it made him feel sick as tears began to flow from his eyes. How had he missed this? He couldn’t help but think that the state you were in was his fault because he could’ve stopped it. He should’ve stopped it. Maybe he’d been wrong after Europe, maybe you would be safer with him…

You sighed, “My mom got remarried after my dad and I were Blipped and she didn’t want anything to do with me, so my dad got stuck with me. It’s not like he was a great dad before, but he rarely hit me. Now it happens almost every night.”

“I’m…I’m so sorry.” It started to make sense when he thought about it though. The whole time he’d known you, you barely went home after school, but he never could’ve imagined that it was because your parents weren’t good to you. Plus, you’d steadily become more withdrawn since the Blip, even pulling away from MJ after the summer trip, but he hadn’t been able to find any clues as to why.

“It is what it is.” You looked back up at the moon and the light reflected off of your wet cheeks. Peter just wanted to wipe those tears away, to take your pain and bear it for you. “You know, you don’t have to pretend to care. It’s not like I was planning on jumping or anything.”

“I’m not-” He shook his head, tears now soaking the inside of his mask, and he wished you hadn’t put that image in his head, since it reminded him of Beck’s illusion and the nightmares it caused. “I’m not pretending. I do care.” You had no idea just how much he cared…

Peter watched as you started to play with the zipper of your jacket, just like the first time he saw you. “Can you really care that much about someone you don’t even know?”

He did know you, better than anyone else, even yourself. At least he thought he did until the new revelation. “I care enough to know that you don’t deserve this. I can help.”

You laughed loudly, startling Peter, and ended up flinching as you grabbed your side. “The police won’t even help me. I’m just biding my time until I graduate and go off to a university on the other side of the country.”

Little did you know, Peter would never let you abandon him like that. He was going to find another way to remove you from your situation without you trying to leave New York, and him, behind. He had to.

The sound of sirens echoed from several blocks over, but Peter didn’t move an inch. You nodded in that direction. “You should go take care of that.”

“I don’t want you to be alone.”

A small smile appeared on your face, making Peter happy for the first time since he heard you crying. “I’ll be fine, I promise. Go kick some ass.”

Peter never wanted to leave you and that night the feeling was more present than usual, but even you knew that he needed to go. He stood up on the ledge, readying himself to jump, when you called to him again. “Wait!” He paused and looked at you, seeing that smile still on your face. “Thank you…For listening.”

“N-no problem,” he replied before jumping from the roof to swing away. His heart screamed for him to turn back and stay with you, but what would you think if the hero you admired so much ignored a crime? What he did do on the way to the scene was send Tony a quick text, one that he sincerely hoped his mentor would agree to.

‘Mr. Stark, I have a huge favor to ask you.’

—-

Peter had fumed the whole day at school, to the point that Ned and MJ noticed, though he wouldn’t tell them anything. They just assumed something had happened on patrol the night before, which was technically correct, but they were still missing a pretty big piece.

When he looked at you, all he could see were the bruises that you had hidden from view, and now that he knew, it was even more obvious. He couldn’t believe how blind he’d been, but at least he found out and could finally help you. He knew what he had to do to protect you until he could get you out and away from your father, though it wasn’t exactly heroic. When it came to you, he would do things that he normally wouldn’t, without any hesitation.

That was why Peter crouched on a rooftop that night, just watching people pass by below him. He wasn’t Spider-Man at that moment since he didn’t want to risk anyone else seeing him, so he was dressed in jeans and a hoodie. Karen displayed a map with a moving dot, indicating his target, and it was getting closer to him. A stumbling figure made its way down the barely lit sidewalk in time with the dot Karen showed. Peter crawled down the wall that faced the alley, and made it to the opening just as your father passed by. He grabbed him from behind and yanked him into the dark alley, throwing him on the ground.

Peter pounced on him, immediately noticing the stench of booze and cigarette smoke, and that only made him angrier. He didn’t waste any time and punched the man straight in the jaw, shattering it and making it more difficult to scream, but he definitely tried. “What, you can dish it out, but you can’t take it?!”

His eyes widened as Peter pulled his fist back again and got him straight in the nose, causing a loud crack. Peter didn’t stop there. He threw punch after punch until your father’s face was completely swollen and covered in blood. The man groaned through his broken jaw, and Peter was just barely able to make out what he was trying to say. “Please…”

“Please? You’re asking me to stop?” Peter shook his head, the rage inside of him beginning to boil over. “How many times did (Y/N) beg you to stop hitting her?! How many times did you listen?!”

He sobbed as blood and tears dripped from his face down to the cement, but Peter knew that those tears weren’t from regret over what he’d done to you, they were for himself. Peter wasn’t aiming to kill, so he moved on from his mutilated face and grabbed his right forearm with both hands. “Let’s see you try to hit her now.”

Peter snapped the bone in half, making it stab through his skin, and the man howled as loudly as he could. Thankfully Karen was ready to intercept any possible 911 calls in the area about a man screaming bloody murder until Peter finished, because things were about to get much worse. He moved on to the upper arm and broke it effortlessly, before repeating the process on his other arm, leaving the main wailing in agony.

Peter decided that was enough for now, and that he had surely learned his lesson. Holding your father down hard by his shoulders, he leaned down and whispered in his ear. “If you touch your daughter one more time, I’ll make sure you never walk again. Got it?”

The man nodded desperately, and Peter was a bit surprised that he wasn’t in shock yet, but also glad that he experienced all of the pain, even though he deserved more. With that, Peter stood up and disappeared into the shadows, climbing his way back up the building

“I’m done here, Karen.”

Just minutes later, Peter ended up on your fire escape, with your father’s blood still dripping from his bruised fists. He watched the steady rise and fall of your chest as you slept with a smile on his face. At first he’d been a little upset that he’d hurt someone that badly with his powers, but he knew that the piece of shit deserved it, and that every moment was worth it because it was all for you.

Now you were safe and sound until everything was ready for Peter to finally rescue you.


	6. Chapter 6

Mr Stark had agreed to Peter’s idea pretty readily, especially after Peter told him what had been happening to you, because his mentor knew how important it was to him to keep you safe. So there Peter stood, right in the center of the empty apartment, taking in the huge space. It wasn’t much yet, since all it had was the security system and some stuff in the kitchen for him to practice cooking for you, but he could imagine it vividly. 

Books, art supplies, games, and anything else you could need to fill your time when he wasn’t there. Comfortable furniture, perfect for the two of you to cuddle on. Decorations in your favorite styles and colors. It was all there in his head, and he was going to make it a reality. He was going to build you the perfect little home.

Thankfully, because of your father’s unfortunate ‘mugging’, Peter would have the summer and possibly the very beginning of senior year to get everything just right. Even in the nearly two weeks since it happened, you’d started getting a little better, as you’d been talking to MJ a bit again and were injury free. Knowing that you were safe until he could bring you to your new home made him indescribably happy. He was still debating with himself whether to let you finish out senior year, since it would be less suspicious, but he decided to wait and see how things were going by then.

Peter went to the kitchen and grabbed a pan from the cabinet then some food from the fridge. Considering that no one in his life knew how to cook to save their lives, especially May, he had to teach himself with the help of the internet. After all, everything had to be perfect for you, and he didn’t want to be making you food that was barely edible. With a smile, he pulled up a recipe on his phone and got to work.

——–

Several months later

The previous night had been a long one for Peter, since he had fought Electro and Rhino at the same time, which had been no easy task. Sadly, he hadn’t been able to see you that entire night, and he felt as if he were going insane. Thankfully, the two of you shared first period, so he didn’t have to wait long.

Other than having to be away from you some nights, things had been going really well. Your father had healed up and still hadn’t had a drink or laid a hand on you that he could tell, and he was definitely watching. The apartment was coming along great, basically completely finished other than missing its most important piece. You.

Peter walked to Mr Dell’s class with Ned beside him, talking about the new Star Wars trailer. His thoughts were really on you, and as soon as he and Ned made it through the door, his eyes locked on your form, which made his cheeks heat up. You were at your assigned desk with MJ right next to you, the both of you leaning across the aisle a bit, speaking in hushed whispers. It was an unusual sight, making Peter frown as he and Ned headed over to sit near MJ. As they got closer, he caught a bit of what you were saying.

“You can’t tell anyone, MJ. Please.”

“(Y/N), if you don’t do something, he’s going to actually kill you next time.”

“I can handle-”

“Hey, guys!” Ned greeted cheerfully as he sat down at the desk next to MJ. The both of you jumped at his voice and moved back to sit properly in your chairs. Your eyes were impossibly wide, and MJ was completely stiff and uncomfortable.

“Morning, dorks.” MJ replied, more half-hearted than usual, before she looked over and raised her eyebrows at you.

Peter sat down at his desk, staring holes into the wood as the words he’d heard rattled around in his head. If you don’t do something, he’s going to actually kill you next time. He knew immediately what MJ meant, and it filled him with a fury that he hadn’t felt in months. He’d gotten complacent, and now you’d been hurt again. He couldn’t see it, but he knew you were injured beneath your clothes or under some makeup.

When the bell rang, he pulled out his notebook and a pencil, gripping the latter tightly in his hand and barely managing to keep from snapping it in half. He already knew what he was going to spend his night doing. He was going to keep the promise he made to your father that night, it had been decided for him already. He just needed a plan.

—-

Later that night, Peter waited on the roof of your father’s regular bar, keeping his jaw clenched and his eyes glued to the exit, knowing that the bar would be closing soon. As he waited, he thought of you, reminding himself that what he was about to do was to protect and avenge the one he couldn’t live without.

The street was empty when he finally stepped out of the bar, and Peter dropped down from the roof to follow behind him. Peter was really close to the man, but he didn’t seem to notice, so he was surprised when Peter finally tackled him to the ground. He put a hand over the man’s mouth and used the other to hold his arms behind his back. “Did you think I forgot about you?”

Your father yelled, but it was muffled behind Peter’s hand. “I know you hurt your daughter again. What did you do to her?” He tightened his grip on the man’s wrists, turning the screams to a pained groan. “I’m going to take my hand off of your mouth. If you scream, you’re dead, got it?” It was an empty threat, but he didn’t need to know that.

When he nodded, Peter removed his hand. “I-I didn’t mean to. It just happened.” Peter slammed the man’s face into the concrete, crunching his nose.

“That isn’t what I asked. What did you do to her?”

The man sobbed as blood gushed from his nose and made a puddle on the cement. “I p-punched her in the stomach a few times and…I choked her until she passed out.”

At his words, Peter’s rage became worse than he ever thought it could. If the bastard had choked you any longer you could’ve died, and he assumed that was what MJ meant when he overheard her earlier. His voice shook, both from the anger and the realization that he could’ve lost you forever. “I told you what would happen if you touched her again.”

“No, no, no!” The man yelled, trying to wiggle his way out of Peter’s grip, but it was no use. Peter smashed his face into the sidewalk again, this time hard enough to knock him out cold. He released his grip on your father’s wrists, letting has arms fall to the cement.

Peter balled up his fist and pulled it back, eyeing his lower back, until he glanced at the man’s hands that he’d just let go. The same ones he’d used to choke and bruise and break you. He didn’t deserve to use them ever again, so Peter’s aim changed. Instead of his lower spine, Peter’s fist came down and dealt a brutal blow right to the center of the man’s neck. It wasn’t hard enough to kill, but Peter knew that it was enough to get the job done.

The night wasn’t over yet though. He needed to finally bring you home.

—-

Peter carefully lifted your window up and slipped into your room. He made his way over to your sleeping form and pulled a syringe that Natasha had given him from the pocket of his jeans, not wanting to waste any more time. With a fond look at your relaxed face, he popped the cap off of the needle and stuck it into your neck before pushing the plunger. Your eyebrows knitted together in your sleep, and it made Peter feel a little guilty.

He put the cap back on and slipped the syringe back where he’d taken it from so he could dispose of it later. A smile came to his face as he gently stroked your cheek, before webbing your hands together and picking you up to carry you over to the window. He got you out onto the fire escape and draped your bound arms around his neck. His arm slipped around your waist to hold you tight as the other reached out and shot a web at a nearby building.

The two of you swung through the neighborhood, and Peter wished that you could really experience it too, but you had forever to do that now that you were with him. He kept checking to make sure you were still asleep, even though Natasha told him the injection would knock you out cold for at least four hours. Everything had gone so smoothly so far that he was a bit on edge. Usually, something would’ve gone wrong by now. Perhaps it was the universe telling him that this was meant to be.

Eventually, he got you back to the apartment and in the bedroom. As if you were made of glass, he placed you on the bed and removed the webbing from your hands. “You’re safe now.” He lifted the blanket up over you and tucked you in before softly kissing you on the forehead. “I have one more thing left to do, but I’ll be back before you wake up. Sweet dreams, angel.”

—-

It was finally morning, and Peter paced around the living room, occasionally wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. After he’d brought you to the apartment, he went and took your clothes from your old place and set them up in the bedroom. Once he finished that, he had a little less than three hours to kill, which turned into about half an hour. You would be awake soon, and his heart pounded against his rib cage at the thought.

Every part of him wanted to be in the room with you, to watch you sleep and be the first thing you saw when you opened your eyes. He’d talked with Karen about it, and she thought it may be best to let you wake up a little first before seeing you, since he could be a bit excitable when it came to you. She was usually right about those types of things, so he listened even though it hurt.

He checked over the entire apartment for what had to be the twentieth time, re-straightening the already perfect wall decorations and wiping away nonexistent dust from the counters. Once finished, he went to pace again, until Karen’s voice rang from the device in his ear.

Peter, (Y/N) just received a message

Your phone sat on the kitchen counted, where he’d left it when he got back from his trip to get your clothes. He’d turned it on silent just so it couldn’t possibly disturb you, which explained why he didn’t hear it go off. He walked over and grabbed the phone, opening it to check out the text.

MJ📚: Are you coming to class today? I’m really worried about you after yesterday. Please just let me know you’re alright.

Peter stared at the phone, panic rising in him. He’d completely forgotten about MJ, the one person other than him that really cared about you. What was she going to think when you disappeared off the face of the earth? Knowing MJ, she would look for you, not that she’d be able to find you. He had to find some way to get her to stay back. His brain cycled through a few different things before he remembered that your old room was now missing your clothes and some personal items. Perfect.

(Y/N): I’m fine, MJ. You were right, I need to do something. I’m leaving town for a while and I’m not sure when I’m coming back. I’ll be in touch soon.

Peter sent the message and completely shut the phone off. He hated lying to one of his close friends and giving her false hope like that, but it was what had to be done. He just hoped he’d be able to face her at school on Monday. As he slipped the phone in his pocket, Karen’s voice came out of the earpiece again.

(Y/N) is awake now

Peter froze, his brain and heart going into overdrive. You were finally up. He gave you some time, waiting for Karen to let him know when you got out of the bed. A minute or so later, you were apparently checking out the room. He really hoped that you liked it, and that you’d appreciate the rest of the apartment. When Peter finally opened the door, you were standing by the dresser, seeming a little on edge as you closed the drawer, but he knew that would go away once he explained everything to you. You turned around to meet his huge grin as he finally spoke.

“I’m so happy you’re awake!”


	7. Epilogue

Being around MJ after taking you ended up being a lot harder than Peter thought it would. MJ just seemed down, more so than normal, to the point that even Ned noticed. Peter did his best to pretend everything was fine while MJ checked her phone more frequently than she ever used to. After about a week of that, MJ finally came to him at lunch. “I’m really worried about (Y/N) and I hate to admit it, but I need your help.”

Peter froze, but tried to relax and casually go back to eating. “Why are you worried about (Y/N)? Didn’t you say she ran away or something?”

MJ sat down in an empty seat across from him and Ned listened in. “I got a message from her phone saying she did, but she wouldn’t just run away like that. Then her dad got attacked again the same night she disappeared. I think someone kidnapped her or something, but no one at the school seems to care and neither do the police. They might have been paid or scared off from looking into it and that’s why I’m asking you to. As your…alter ego.”

She was right, even about the police and the school being paid off, and it made Peter feel sick. He’d hoped that the text would be enough to throw her off, but it seemed MJ knew you better than he thought. “I’m sure she’s perfectly fine, MJ.”

“Then why hasn’t she texted me since?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she just doesn’t want to.”

MJ glared at him. “That’s bullshit.” She pointed to Ned. “How would you feel if Ned did the same thing to you? Would you think that was normal? Would you think he was okay?”

“No-”

“Then why won’t you even look into it?”

Peter slammed his fork down onto his tray, making some of his milk spill. “Because it’s pointless, MJ! She left and she obviously doesn’t want to be found! Just get over it!”

“You know, from the way you’re always looking at (Y/N), I thought you’d give a shit about her, but you clearly don’t. I’ll just keep looking for her on my own. Thanks for nothing.” MJ shook her head and abruptly stood from the table to leave the lunchroom, bumping into some other students on the way. Peter glared down at the table once she was out of sight, her words actually cutting him deep. If only MJ knew how wrong she was about him not caring for you.

“Don’t you think you were kinda harsh?” Ned asked quietly, finally speaking after she was gone.

Peter had been a bit of an asshole, he knew that, but she was asking too many questions. Getting too close. “Maybe, but she’s being ridiculous.”

“Is she though? It doesn’t seem even a little weird?”

His heart started to beat way too fast for comfort. Now Ned was asking questions too? “Nope.”

Ned frowned at him. “Come on, Peter. You’ve been into (Y/N) since 6th grade. You can’t tell me you’re not concerned about her.”

“Yes, I can because I’m not concerned. I’m sure that she’s fine wherever she ran off to.” Peter stood up to go empty his tray. “Can we just drop it, Ned?”

Ned got up as well, already having finished his food. “Yeah, sure. But you should still apologize to MJ…”

—-

Peter entered the apartment to find you sitting at the desk, sketching something and bobbing your head to the music you had playing. As soon as he saw you, every bit of weight on his shoulders seemed to lift, and it brought a grin to his face. You’d only been with him for a week and it was the best week of his life. “Hey, angel. How was your day?”

You looked back at him with a little wave. “Hi, Peter. It was good. I’ve just been working on some drawings.”

He came over and stood next to you, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Can I see?” You obliged and he picked up the sketchbook to flip through it eagerly. Once he’d looked through the few new ones, he put the sketchbook back on the desk. “They’re amazing.”

“Thanks.” Your voice was soft and it made Peter absolutely melt. “How was your day?”

“Just okay. I would’ve rather been here with you.” He sighed as he thought about what had happened at lunch with MJ and he debated on whether to tell you. When he first told you about texting MJ, you’d been understandably upset, but you seemed to be okay with it the more he explained the reasoning behind it. The fact that you understood really made him happy.

You tilted your head, frowning slightly. “What happened? Was Flash being extra dickish today?”

“No…well, yes. But this was about MJ. She was asking a lot of questions.”

“I told you she would.” Peter noticed a small smile on your lips, a bit of fondness over your best friend’s curious nature. He knew that you missed her and it did make him feel guilty, but it was all for the best.

“I know. She doesn’t believe you ran away. She asked me to help her look into it with my…Stark Internship connections.” He hadn’t told you that he was Spider-Man yet, and he didn’t plan to for a while.

“What did you tell her?”

Peter leaned against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “I told her no. She got pissed at me and Ned said I was too harsh, but I just panicked, you know? I apologized to her later, she’s still mad though.”

“Well…” You started to shake your head as if to tell him to forget about it, but Peter urged you on. “Maybe I could call and talk to her?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” It wasn’t that he didn’t trust you, it was that it would be very easy to slip up and say the wrong thing, and MJ would definitely notice.

“I think it’ll work. We can come up with something, like maybe I…went to live with some extended family across the country or something.” You crossed your arms over your chest and leaned back in the chair. “Peter, I hate the idea of lying to MJ, but the longer this goes on, the worse it’s going to get.”

Peter nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. She’s too stubborn to stop.”

“And that’s why she’s my best friend. Now, come on…” You stood up from the chair to go sit on the couch, and Peter followed you like a lost puppy. “Let’s come up with some ideas.”

Peter sat near you on the couch, loving how you were close enough to reach out and touch. As you bounced ideas off of each other, he hoped that it would work and that the two of you wouldn’t have to hurt MJ any longer, because you _both_ cared about her.


End file.
